Alone
by 4everLostInThought
Summary: Any decent fan of Jurassic Park III knows that Eric crashed onto Isla Sorna amidst a parasailing accident. Eight weeks later, he runs into Dr. Alan Grant. But just what happened during those very shady eight weeks? How did a twelve year old survive on a dinosaur infested island all alone?
1. Bad Day for Parasailing

**Authors Note: Hey guys! So I decided that I'm going to revamp my original story, make it bigger and better. So if you liked the original please read and review the new version! First two chapters are up.**

**P.S I'm going to try to update every Friday, I promise :O don't look so shocked, I can do it...I think **

**~Lost**

* * *

"We're gonna crash!"

"Okay, don't worry! I'm going to let us loose!"

Fear gripped my heart as I saw the jagged rocks get closer and closer. Waves and white foam crashed against them, making them all the more menacing.

"Let go of the ropes!"

I couldn't let go, terror had already taken a firm grip on my heart with no intention of letting me loose. I tightened my grip instead. My knuckles turned white and the palms of my hands digged painfully into the hard nylon rope, but I didn't notice. All I could think of was crashing. The boat was going to crash into rock and we were going to be hauled down. Down out of the air by our tether to the now empty boat into the deep, dark swirling waters below.

"Move your hands!"

Ben's voice snapped me out of my paralysis and back to the catastrophe at hand. I snatched my hands from the rope and tried to move them out of the way as Ben furiously worked at the knot that was tying us to our doom. If the boat hits those rocks, down we go.

This was my fault. I should have listened to Mom. We could have been walking on the beach, with dripping ice cream cones, squishing our toes into the sand. We could have gone biking down the boardwalk. We could have just continued playing frisbee. We could have done a million other things. But we didn't.

"Ahhhh!" With a heavy lurch and a terrified scream from me, we were free. The wind jerked us backward quickly, causing my head to snap back and thud into Ben's chest as vertigo overtook me.

Ben pulled hard on the side of the parachute and we banked a hard right as the wind blew us toward the island. Toward the unknown.

_Maybe it's all just a great big joke. Maybe there is nothing wrong with the island and it was just some local legend told by the locals to attract more tourists._

But a small voice at the back of my mind couldn't help but panic nevertheless. If this was all a joke, where were the two men on the boa? Why was the boat sprayed with a red substance that looked suspiciously like blood?

"Its gonna be okay buddy." Ben reassured me as he leveled the parachute out, "It's gonna be just fine."

No, it's not going to be fine, I thought fearfully. How could it be _just fine? _Those were words adults used when they didn't know what else to say. We both knew nothing about our predicament was good. No amount of coddling would help make it seem better. We were heading off to the island of death not candyland.

The people who brought us here just disappeared, our boat crashed, and now we have to land on an island notorious for man-eating dinosaurs. No, everything's not going to be fine. Not until we get the hell off this island.

"Hold on! It's getting choppy!"

I gripped the orange life vest hanging around my neck, clenched my eyes shut and prayed we wouldn't crash into the trees below us and break our necks. Anything but that.

We fell about another twenty feet or so until the wind filled the giant red and white parasail and halted our rapid descent. The safety harness began to dig into my thighs as we were yanked up and dropped again by the rising and falling wind currents, surely leaving large bruises which were the least of my worries.

Another seventy feet and we're dead if Ben can't control our fall. I could feel him straining as he pulled on the levers that adjusted the bright sail about us. The tops of large trees with thick branches were approaching ever more ominously.

All of a sudden we leveled out.

"Yes!" Ben exclaimed triumphantly. I unclenched my teeth just enough to sigh in relief. We were only mere yards from the top of the trees below us. So close that I could make out the dirt floor of the forest between the branches and leaves.

"There's a gap between those trees over there!" I pointed to the area I was referring to as Ben pulled one of the levers and we soared above the lush green vegetation, our toes skimming over the tops.

All of a sudden the small clearing was all too near, and we misjudged our speed. Instead of gliding gracefully into the space between the trees, we crashed through the canopy, snapping branches on the way down. My ears filled with the noise of crashing wildly through branches and leaves as they swatted my face, and the panicked chirps of nearby resting birds as they fled before they were dragged down with us.

A sharp sting on the surface of my nose was accompanied by a sticky, wet feeling, as more branches scratched at my bare legs and arms. I heard Ben curse loudly as something, a limb most likely, hit his back and shoved both of us to the left. I clamped my mouth shut for fear that a branch or something worse might hit me square in the mouth.

The harness ropes got tangled in the branches and stopped us to a dead halt mid-air about ten feet from the ground, jerking us to a stand-still.

For a minute neither of us moved as we caught our breath from the fall down. _It could have been worse_, I told myself. _At least you didn't break your neck._

"Okay, I'm gonna unhook you." Ben started pulling and unbuckling the harness attaching me to him.

"1...2...3!" The second I was free, I plummeted the remaining feet onto the moist forest ground. I landed awkwardly on my left side, with my head just barely missing being slammed into a bush. I sat up slowly into a sitting position as my left arm began to throb with the weight of my body on it and the force I hit the ground with.

"Are you okay buddy?" Ben called down to me. I looked up, forced to squint as the sunlight fell into my eyes as I looked up at Ben, nodding to signify I'm alright. It was then that I noticed a red light flashing from the camcorder at Ben's waist.

"Okay I'm gonna unhook myself now."

"The cameras still on." Why should it matter if the camera was on or off. It didn't, but I couldn't help pointing it out.

With a little shuffling Ben pressed the off button, and continued to struggle with the ropes.

"What's wrong?"

"It's the harness! It's stuck or something!" Ben continued struggling with the ropes. The frustration was etched in his face as his whole body shook with the effort of pulling the buckles apart. Watching him, I could already tell it was a losing battle. Something had jammed it.

"Arg! These damn buckles aren't coming apart!" He sighed and looked down at me. "Find something sharp, to cut the ropes with."

I looked around reluctantly, shuffling as silently as possible through the low lying vegetation around me. I didn't want to go traipsing around some monster infested jungle with no weapon.

I'd only taken five steps when an a soft clicking sound came into earshot. I snapped my head around to face a paralyzed Ben. The clicking sound was getting closer and was soon accompanied by a low, nasally growl. Recognition dawned on me as I realized what was stalking us.

"What is it?" Ben questioned nervously in a low voice. "Please tell me it's one of them veggie-saurs."

I scanned the surrounding area carefully, but didn't catch a glimpse of our stalkers.

"No...Velociraptor."

We were in their territory now.


	2. On the Run

"Listen to me, run!"

"No, I'm not leaving without you!"

"Don't worry! I'll be fine! I'm up hanging from a tree aren't I? Just go!"

No matter how much we try to convince ourselves that everything was going to be fine, it really wasn't. Ben wasn't safe hanging from a tree.

"Stop wasting time and go!" Ben hissed at me.

This was it. I have to go. But if I do, and Ben doesn't free himself from the harness, Ben will surely become raptor chow. If I don't, we both will die a slow, painful death. The raptors were getting closer, their nasally voices didn't sound so far away anymore. The stench of blood and living flesh would draw them towards us.

I'm going to throw up; the vertigo from earlier was threatening to come back. I can't believe I'm going to leave him like this. I chewed on my lower lip as I looked back up at Ben.

"Run as far as you can, and no matter what happens, don't look back. Keep going. I'll be right behind you as soon as I get myself loose."

I turned around, picked the direction in which I hoped there wasn't something waiting with its jaws wide open to devour me whole. I tried not to think of Ben struggling up in the air, his entire body shaking with effort, as he tries to separate himself from a tangle of ropes and jammed buckles.

_Stop it, don't be silly!Ben will be alright. He said he would be right behind you. He'll be right behind you, and you'll both be alright. Just focus. Focus on getting as far always as possible._

I should have been paying more attention instead of giving myself a silent pep talk. I caught my foot in a protruding root and went sprawling on the ground, smacking my face on the side of a tree trunk. Pain blossomed in my nose and a hot wetness, seared across my lower face. I reached up with tentative fingers expecting the worst as I felt blood pour hotly down my mouth and chin. I started to panic as I felt the warm blood.

I sighed as I realized that it was just a nosebleed from smacking the tree so hard. I pinched the bridge of nose, staunching the flow of blood as I caught my breath on the dirt carpet of leaves and moss. A sudden inhuman screech filled the air, startling me back to the reality of the situation. And then impossibly, all was quiet. And that frightened me more than when the jungle was full of noise. I scrambled to my feet as quickly and quietly as I could manage staring at the direction from which I had just come sprinting from.

The adrenaline coursing through my veins made me forget about the nosebleed, but also unable to stand still on my feet as scanned the surrounding area looking for the dark reptilian skin of a predator.

And then another scream filled the air. And this time it sounded completely and undoubtedly human. My heart stopped as I snapped my head toward the direction in which I came from. The screaming continued, getting louder and louder, until the last scream was sharply cut off into silence.

The silence stretched out. My breathing became shallow as I counted the passing seconds.

Thirty seconds...one minute... a minute and a half...

A chorus of loud trumpet-like nasally roars filled the air. The fear of confronting a raptor headlong got my feet moving in the opposite direction. I scrambled over exposed roots, in between tree trunks, and past great low lying branches of leaves that swung at me and scratched my arms and face. And all the time, the screeching got closer and closer. The foliage behind me began to shake. _They_ were coming.

I could hear the thumping of their feet behind me now. As I threw a glance over my shoulder, I tripped over yet another overgrown tree root, this one being much larger than the last. _What is wrong with all these trees?_ Is the ground not roomy enough for them anymore that they have to occupy the remaining air space as well. As I picked myself up, my heart throbbing as it worked overtime, I saw in front of me was the biggest tree I've ever seen in my entire life.

The bark of the tree was dark with vines entangling with other vines up and down the main trunk. And the trunk itself was mesmerizing large. If I tried to wrap my arms around it, I wouldn't even touch a quarter of the circumference. About thirty feet up, the main trunk had split into two, winding around each other as they extended even farther up. I evaluated my choices, weighing in the pros and cons.

If i keep running, I might find a safer spot to hide in, or I'll get exhausted and slow down and be grub for a couple of hungry raptors. I could climb the tree. There are no branches protruding from the truck for at least thirty feet or so. I should be safe. Raptors can jump high, but not quite that high- at least that's what i think... But could I make it up before they got to me?

The vegetation rustled loudly behind me. Decision time. I ran up to the base, grabbed a vine and hauled myself up. I kept going, putting one foot in front of the other, reaching up to grab another vine higher up. And then a vicious growl filled the air. I stretched my neck over my shoulder and caught my first glimpse of a velociraptor. All those dinosaur books and illustrations could not have prepared me for this. This was a hundred times more frightening and real than any two-dimensional picture.

The first raptor to emerge hurled itself at me with a full on sprint and a jump that could make any track star in the Olympics jealous.

With adrenaline still in my system, I hauled myself up another five feet just barely escaping the raptor who lunged at me and fell barely a few inches short. The second raptor who had been pacing behind the first had a reddish smear on its snout and when it opened its mouth to growl, I saw another similar smear on its teeth. Pulling myself up the last few feet into the branches of the trees, I dragged myself onto a thick branch and slumped toward the trunk of the tree, wrapping my arms around it with the intention of never letting go, as I caught my breath in ragged gulps.

I surveyed the ground. The raptors were still there, glaring up at me with beady eyes and low growls. Occasionally they would snap their powerful jaws at me, and lunge toward the tree, trying to climb up, but failing miserably. Never have I ever been so happy to see a tree in my entire life.


	3. Procompsognathus

_"Run! Get out of here!"_

_"I can't leave you! I'm not going to leave you!"_

_Something growled behind me. Ben started screaming at me to run, to run NOW. Instead I turned around and came face to face with a six foot tall monster. Everything looked surreal. The light was too bright, the colors too vibrant, and everything sounded too loud, echoing almost. _

_I looked back at Ben, and choked on a strangled scream. His neck was lying on his shoulders at an odd angle. His legs were mangled and covered in a thick coat of blood, that was dripping down and tinting the ground a blood red. And then it came at me. It's sleek, scaly body shining in the late afternoon sunlight filtering in from the canopy, with its jaws wide open with bared teeth aimed straight at my throat. With a scream I flew backward as we made contact. With both his front legs on my chest as I gasped for breath, it gave a mighty roar with its jaws extended as it reached for my neck with its teeth covered in Ben's blood. _

_I screamed manically and slammed my foot into its snout. Without glancing back I turned and ran for my life. I ran and ran and ran. I ran for what seemed like hours, but could only really have been minutes, maybe even seconds. I sprinted around tree and promptly slammed into a figure standing in the middle of my path. I tumbled backwards, hitting the ground painfully. _

_The scream that was building up caught in my throat as my eyes lifted to see what I had just crashed into. My eyes widened as my fingers shook uncontrollably. _

"_It's all your fault!" Ben's dead eyes stared back at me. His bare legs in his Bermuda shorts were a mangled mound of blood and torn flesh. He was clutching his right hand, or more precisely, what was left of it as he limped towards me. "You left me there to die!"_

"_You told me to run!" Surprisingly my voice came back strong, despite being speechless earlier. _

_Ben's eyes turned dark as he launched himself at me, his blood stained fingers on his good hand extended, aiming for my throat. _

I jerked awake drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. I nearly fell of the wide branch I was sitting on, catching myself before I plummeted thirty feet to the ground. I shifted my position so I sat back on the branch and leaned with my back pressed against the trunk of the tree. I was more than a little hung over on what had happened to Ben. I had no intention of falling asleep again.

It was dark and quiet, yet the jungle felt alive. It was like it had a pulse that I could feel through the humid air. Every once in awhile bird-like chirps, and a rustling and scampering of small creatures in the underbrush filled the air. The raptors had left and hour before the sun set, aggravated that they had to wait so long for me to come down and offer myself up as dinner. Somewhere after sunset I had fallen asleep to the lull of crickets and been plagued with nightmares all night.

I needed a plan. I needed to find a way to get off this island. _But how?_ I shivered in the dark as I hugged myself to keep warm. I wish I'd listened to my mom when she said I should have taken a jacket with me. The cold was penetrating my my thin shirt and giving me goosebumps.

I watched the sun begin to rise in the distance and paint the dark sky a lighter color. _Someone will come looking for me though, right? They why haven't they come yet?_ Mom would have known something was wrong when Ben and I didn't show up at the dock in Costa Rica. She knew where we were going. She must have assumed what might have happened. _Help will be coming._ Even as I said it outloud, I knew it was not true. If help was coming I'd have seen or at least heard something.

*****

I jumped the final feet from the side of the tree to the ground. The sun was still low in the sky, but I wanted to get a head start, just in case the raptors come back with friends.

I paused a few feet from the base of the trunk. The humidity was already rising, and I welcomed it after the chilly night. I looked in the direction I first came from, knowing Ben was there somewhere. My eyes stung as tears began to grow heavy on my eyelids and threatened to fall. I was all alone now. That's all anybody ever does to me. My dad, and now Ben, leaving me alone at the worst possible place on earth.

I turned around briskly and walked in the opposite direction. If I'm going to survive, I need to toughen up. Going back there to the crash site and Ben is a bad idea. No matter how badly I wanted to think Ben was alive and ok, I couldn't go back. It was probably raptor central back there.

I clenched my teeth and kept walking. The early morning noises had already started. As I walked farther away, the brush began to thicken and slap me in the face as I pushed forward.

*****

I reached up and wiped the sweat from the face with my sleeve as I stopped to rest. My feet were throbbing from the effort of jumping over fallen and raised vegetation. I collapsed on a giant rock breathing heavily. My felt light headed from the heat and my stomach was hollow with hunger. My last meal was a grilled cheese sandwich and orange juice right before we boarded the boat. I thought about how I probably should have at least finished the entire sandwich, but I had been so excited to leave, my sandwich had been left discarded after three meager bites.

I reached up to wipe my face again, sweat was dribbling down my face uncomfortably from the edge of my hairline. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the low lying ferns move and rustle. I jumped to my feet and picked up a fallen branch that was barely longer than my arm and about as wide as my wrist. Not much of a weapon, but still, it was better than nothing.

I held it like a baseball bat, waiting to swing it as hard as I could. The rustling grew closer. My muscles tensed and my grip tightened as it emerged.

All the fear drained from my face and morphed into a grin as I dropped my arm, letting my guard down. I drew closer fascinated to get a better look at what had emerged as I kneeled down on the moist dirt to get a better look.

Procompsognathus. I smiled, proud at myself for being able to identify it. It cocked its head at me as if it was trying to figure out what I was. It hopped a few steps closer to me and made a chirping sound, like a bird.

"Wow," I breathed in awe. "Hey, little guy." I grinned and edged closer to it. It hopped closer, chirping. It turned its head to the side, studying me. "You know you're actually kinda cute." I would have felt incredibly silly had anyone heard me talking to a dinosaur. But my curiosity got the better of me. It's not everyday you could see a dinosaur and not fear being eaten.

"How come you're all alone? Are you lost too?" I reached out a tentative hand slowly, as to not startle it. Just as I got within touching distance, it snapped its jaws at me, locking its jaw on my hand. With a yelp I pulled my hand out of its grip quickly, fingering the bite mark that now oozed blood. My hand stung and I couldn't help thinking if it had rabies before I told myself I was being stupid. Only mammals could carry rabies.

"Feisty little one aren't you." I watched the compy distastefully as it still eyed me with the same curious expression as before. It licked its lips, wiping the stain of red blood clean. I picked myself up. I didn't have time to sit around all day playing and chatting with a compy like I was five years old. I ignored the chirps coming from the compy as I turned around and looked for the stick I was wielding as a weapon a few moments earlier. I made my way toward it as I spotted it in front of the rock I was resting on earlier.

The compy was making one heck of a commotion behind me as I picked the branch up and brushed some dead leaves and dirt off of it. All of a sudden it seemed like the compy was making too much noise for one little thing. I turned around to face it again, agitated at the constant high pitched noise and froze. Where there once was one, was now about five with more appearing from the underbrush. In no time at all there was a group of between ten to fifteen. All their beady eyes were fixed on one target—me.

They charged at me before I could react. The first one jumped impossibly high for such a little thing, claws extended and mouth open. I swung my improvised weapon around and hit it squarely in the torso, sending it flying right into a tree. The others came at me, and soon the branch wasn't enough to fend them off. I tripped over something, it could have been a rock or a compy-nothing was clear in the confusion- and came tumbling down on my stomach. One of them scrambled up onto my back and sunk its tiny, yet incredibly sharp and vicious teeth into the fleshy area between my back bones. With a scream I reached over my shoulder and caught hold of it by its neck and sent it crashing through the bushes. Offense wasn't working-time to try a new strategy.

I picked up my fallen weapon, and scrambled to my feet shaking as many compys as I could, and took off into a run. One of them had attached itself onto my shoe. As I ran past a nearby rock I slammed my foot into it, smashing the compy on the rock and sped up.

They were still after me, I could hear the trashing of leaves behind me as I dodged trees and jumped over tree roots. I threw a glance over my shoulder to see how far away I'd gotten. Bad idea. Just as I turned my head to look over my shoulder, a compy came flying through the air, aiming for my head. Stopping abruptly, I raised my club over my head, and smacked it as hard as I could. That hit would've earned me a home run.

I kept going, but my lungs were starting to give. My entire chest was burning like someone had lit it on fire. Just then I was momentarily blinded by light reflecting off of a metal object. I ran toward it, and as I left the clumps of trees behind, I saw a metal supply truck, lying on its side in the middle of what looked like swampy water. I glanced behind me and saw the advancing compys. They wouldn't follow me through water, would they?.

There's only one way to find out.

I jumped into the murky water, only to find that it wasn't too deep. My shoes disappeared into sticky water that went up midway to my knees. I tried not to think how disgusting the water was and concentrated on getting across. Thrashing through the water I aimed for the end of the truck closest to me, launching myself up and out of the water and caught hold of the top of truck. The metal burned into my hands, undoubtedly due to basking in the hot afternoon sun for hours. I hauled myself up, ignoring the hot metal. I sat up, with my feet all the way up on the cylindrical truck as I grinned at the compys who had stopped at the waters edge.

"Looks like I win this round suckers!" I called out to them triumphantly.

My victory didn't last long. Some of the compys started to pick their way through the water on top of muddy swamp weeds that protruded and bunched up onto the water creating a bridge of sorts.

_Oh, no._

I looked around trying not to panic, but there was no where to go. And then I spotted the hatch. A couple feet down from where I was sitting, there seemed to be an opening. I ran over to it and started to pull out the very rusted clamps that held the door down. Meanwhile the compys were picking up their pace and getting closer. The clamps came apart easily and I let them fall down the side into the water. I yanked up the handle, yet it remained firmly closed. I stood up, and took a firm grip on the handle while sweat dripped from my forehead and sizzled on the scorching metal and yanked up with all my might. The screech of metal filled the air, as it began to move. All of a sudden, it flew open, knocking me off my feet.

I glanced over my shoulder in time to see the closest compys get ready to jump at me. Throwing myself into the hatch feet first, I held on the handle on the inside of the hatch, using my weight to close the door as the first compys hit the metal with a thud and a yelp.

I lost my grip on the handle as the door shut, falling down into oblivion crashing to the bottom and banging my head against something hard and metal. And then...darkness.


	4. The Hatch

woke to complete darkness and a throbbing head. For a second I thought I went blind. My eyes were open, yet all I saw was a thick darkness surrounding me. I jumped up and hit my head on something hard and metal before I remembered where I was. Rubbing my sore head with one hand, I carefully felt along the ceiling looking for the handle of the hatch I fell through. Instead, I knocked my hand against something and several objects fell at my feet with a clang. Kneeling down in the darkness, I extended my arms I picked up what I had knocked over.

It was shaped like a cylinder with some sort of handle on top. Along what appeared to be the bottom, was a button. I pushed the button and then a light started to flicker. As I waited, it grew stronger and I was finally able to see where I was.

I was right; it was a supply truck. There were overturned boxes scattered all over the floor. Some of the contents had come loose and were sprawled across the floor. Ropes and batteries littered the floor. I placed the lantern on top of a stack of crates and went over to sort through the contents.

The closest box next to me was lying on its side and there was a big dent on its bottom. It was surprisingly heavy. I heaved it onto its side and ripped through the plastic tape sealing it shut. I let out a grin when I saw its contents. The entire box was filled with smaller boxes that were in turn filled with chocolate bars. My luck was finally turning.

The next box contained more lanterns like the ones I had knocked over earlier. They all said InGen in blue print on the side. I took a big bite out of a Crunch bar before heading over to another box. It was filled with canned goods. I pulled one out randomly and started looking for something to open it with. After searching the ground I came across a red pocket knife. Sticking it into the can, I pried the lid off. It looked like beans, and sure enough, as I speared some with my new knife and stuck it in my mouth, it was. I recognized a few spices like pepper and basil. It also tasted kind of cold, but seemed ok. I couldn't really care less at this point, I was starving and would have eaten pretty much anything. Using the knife as a fork, I was able to finish the can in record time, and reached for a second one.

Pretty soon I got drowsy and fell asleep with my head on a box and my back pressed against cool metal. This time, it was dreamless.

Dim light filtered in through the small gap as I checked to make sure there were no surprises waiting for me before I opened the hatch all the way. The coast was clear. Stepping back down, I picked up my supplies. I slid my prepared backpack on. It contained the pocket knife, a flashlight, backup batteries, a bottle of water, a couple candy bars, and two cans of food. The pair of binoculars that I found on the floor went around my neck and a compass went into my pocket. There probably was much more useful equipment in the boxes, but I'd be wasting time if I went and sorted through everything.

I stepped on a box and used it as a sort of step ladder to help me out of the truck. Once out I realized I wasn't too keen on stepping through the swamp muck. I dropped back in and emptied out a couple of the crates and pushed them through the opening of the hatch. Strategically I placed them in the water in a way that I could use them like stepping stones. It struck me then that the compys could use it too. I shrugged that concern off. Once inside I could just close the hatch and problem solved. I made sure the hatch was firmly closed, so nothing could get in while I was gone.

I took out the compass. The truck was in the south, and I'd come running from the east.

_So which way to go?_ Technically I could go in any direction–except east. _How about north._ That's about as good as anything.

I pocketed the small compass and began what would probably be a long walk in the general direction of north.

The jungle got increasingly harder to travel through. The underbrush was rough, and the area I was currently in was dotted heavily with ferns and other low-lying vegetation. I wish I had a larger knife, like a machete, so I can hack my way through like people did in the movies.

I finally got through all the ferns and bushes. Now I could clearly see the ground and dirt. An hour or so ago I'd started to zig-zag through, avoiding anything I might have to climb over and completely abandoning the idea of walking in a straight line and seeing where that gets me. Today wasn't as warm as yesterday, so I wasn't drenched in sweat, like the past two days. The trees were tall, with their branches extending outward, providing much welcomed shade.

Up ahead were more ferns. I mentally groaned. When I got home I'm going to make mom get rid of all her potted ferns. This reminder of home left a sharp pang in my chest. And a small voice at the back of my mind said, _if you get home_. I pushed my thoughts aside and continued on, trying not to think much of the past. I'm most likely not going home.

I pushed the ferns aside and saw exactly what I had been looking for. Lying below me in what appeared to be a valley, was some sort of compound. The building was only one story tall, but from where I was standing, I could see the entire thing. And it was huge, extra emphasis on huge. There has to be some sort of communications device or radio in there.

Carefully picking my way down the steep pathway toward what could be my salvation, I kept a sharp lookout for anything dangerous. Now would not be a good time to get eaten.

The compound doors came open easily enough, causing me to worry about what might have gotten in before me. I shrugged that thought aside and opened the door, I was more at risk standing outside out in the open.

Everything was coated in a filthy layer of grime and vines crawling in from several broken windows were clinging to the walls. The room I now stood in was big. My eyes immediately locked onto a phone resting on a large counter. I tripped over my own two feet in a hurry to get to it. I was filled with hope for the first time since crashing here. Hope that I might still be able to get out of here. I raised the once beige colored phone to my ear, praying for a dial tone; a dead silence was what I got instead. I hung up and continued on, despair filling me with each step.

Stepping through a doorway, I entered what must have been a laboratory. There was smashed glass on the floor and scientific equipment was sprawled on what tables hadn't been upturned. Broken computers lay pitifully on the cracked tiles. I took a quick scan of everything on the floor, looking for a radio or transmitter before going back to the room I had entered through and taking a different doorway.

Finally after searching almost every room at least three times. I came across a room full of maps and computers. I shut the only entrance into the room, the door I just came from securely, and immediately got to work.

There were desks placed all around the room in a way that resembled workstations for whoever had been employed here. I have no idea why people would want to work on an island filled with dinosaurs, but hey that's their life. I crossed over to the closest desk and sat myself down. There were cluttered maps and a mug of very stale coffee. Hanging from the chair was a tan colored lab coat. There was a pocket on the left chest, with the InGen logo on it, just like the lanterns.

I picked up the map on the top of the pile only to discard it in frustration. It was written entirely in Spanish. Next were piles of blueprints for electric fences, roads and some sort of cage. Throwing those off the desk too, I sorted through the jumble of papers that lay below all the blueprints. It was all written in computer code, which was totally useless to me, since I wasn't an engineer.

I moved onto the next desk, but found nothing particularly helpful there either. The third and last desk, however, gave me all the info I needed. I finally found a map I could read, highlighting all the buildings on the island, as well as the paths I needed to take to get there. I quickly scanned the map and found exactly what I was looking for. A communications building. But it was on the other side of the island from where I stood. Miles away. An area labeled 'workers village' looked promising too, but it was even farther away than the comm building. I also spotted a weapons storage facility on the map too. However, it stood right next to the velociraptor cages. And though I was sure that nothing was in a cage anymore, the raptors could have nested close by. I looked at the map closely, and took out my compass, placing it on the map like the one drawn there. The raptor cages were pretty close by to where Ben and I crashed.

It was time to go, the sun was already dipping down from the overhead, signaling noon. If I didn't start back, now I'd be trekking through the jungle in the dark. Walking uphill was sure as heck going to be a lot harder than going downhill. I stuffed the map I found into my backpack and left the empty cans of food and candy bar wrappers behind and headed through the door.

I climbed through the hatch completely exhausted, I had to take a different route back to the truck. Not too long later, I came across a group of velociraptors and had to sit up in a tree for about an hour, before they went about their way, completely oblivious to my presence forty feet above their heads.

Soon after that I came across a T-rex, ripping the flesh off of a stegosaurus. Backing away slowly, I had to walk a full hundred yards around them.

The hatch was a welcoming presence after a hard day. I fell into a instant deep sleep the moment the hatch was secured from the inside. Tomorrow I'm going to head off toward the communications center, and if I'm lucky, find a way to get out of here.


	5. Over the River And Through The Woods

Turns out food and lanterns weren't the only things that the supply truck was transporting. There was a plenitude of smoke cans in the boxes labeled InGen as well as something that resembled a taser. Only instead of looking like the ones a police officer would carry, they were shaped more like batons, long and slim with a button at one end; undoubtedly used on animals.

I stuffed as many cans of gas as I could fit a backpack without overloading myself with equipment. Food, water, and rope went in next. The taser I clipped to the waistband of my shorts.

Outside there was barely enough light to see by-the perfect time to make a move. With my map in hand and my route marked off, I set out.

Around mid-day, things took a turn for the worse. As I stopped to rest under a giant willow tree, I heard a familiar chirping. It brought me to my feet with my taser defensively gripped in my right hand. The bushes to my left started to rustle as my old nemesis emerged from the cover of green foliage. I faced the two pairs of eyes that watched me with curiosity as my finger hovered over the button on the bottom of the taser. They gave an innocent enough chirp and hopped closer.

This time I would be smarter, I lunged at them with the taser crackling as electricity ran through the top, sparking as it made contact with flesh. A strangled squeal erupted from the compy, as it was electrocuted with a low volt current.

I couldn't help feeling bad for hurting it, when it hadn't done anything to me yet. But thinking like that was dangerous. Thinking like that could get me killed.

Both compys backed away from me a few feet. I sighed, at least they pose no threat this time. It was probably too early for that kind of thought. A sudden urgent cry flew from both compys mouths. It was almost like they were...calling for help.

My eyes widened as the leaves behind the two compys started to rustle. This time I didn't need an invitation, I turned around and ran for my life, stuffing the map into my pocket. The pattering of tiny feet on hard, packed ground filled the air as round two began.

I pumped my arms, trying to run faster as I smacked all protruding foliage aside and dodged trees. Sharp tiny teeth dug themselves into the skin behind my ankle. Momentarily distracted with the effort of trying to shake it off and keep running at the same time, I tripped, sprawling into a good sized puddle of water. And almost as if by magic, the compys began to back away, sniffing the air in odd movements, until I was left completely alone.

What had just happened? Why did they suddenly decide to retreat?

I took a closer look to what I was lying in. The discolored looking liquid had seeped through the bottom of my shirt and the cuffs of the lab coat I was wearing. The front of my shorts were drenched as well. I shifted my weight so I was sitting down in the water instead of lying in it. I lifted a wet hand to my nose and sniffed. It smelled quite rancid and I began to doubt it was just a big puddle of water.

The ground started to vibrate. Little ripples formed in the water around around me. Suddenly a roar filled the air and the trees behind me began to sway. I pulled out a canister of gas, keeping it ready in my hands. I snapped my body around, so I faced whatever was coming through the trees head on. It was already too late to run.

Emerging from the trees with a vicious growl was a large, dark colored scaly monster with a big head, standing on its two hind feet. My heart stopped cold. It was a T-Rex. I could tell because of the small hands it had. It then hit me what I was sitting in. I tried not to gag at that thought.

I held my breath and concentrated on not moving. T-Rex's had limited sight. If I don't move, it won't be able to see me. And besides I was covered in T-Rex pee. It's pungent odor should mask my human scent of prey from this large predator.

I tried not to make a sound as it drew closer and lowered its head close to my face. Nostrils flared it began to sniff me. My face and body was hit with its hot breath as it circled me.

Finally it's snout came to rest on the canister in my hand. I panicked realizing that though I held it in my drenched hand, it hung over the puddle of pee. It must have smelled different to the T-Rex. Metallic and foreign. With a low growl it nudged my hand, pushing it from side to side. I closed my eyes slowly and tried not to whimper. Any second now, I'll end up inside its intestines if I don't come up with a plan in the next two seconds.

Suddenly a roar filled the air, and it wasn't coming from the Tyrannosaurus, it came from farther down, to my left. Now entering my peripheral vision, as I tried to move my head slowly, as to not draw attention, was a reddish dinosaur with a huge fin on its back as big as the T-Rex, if not bigger.

There was no doubt that this one was a carnivore as well. It's razor sharp teeth were displayed as it gave off a low growl. The T-Rex straightened up from its hunched position over me into a defensive position with one foot forward and issued a growl of its own as well.

The new dinosaurs' eyes were fixed on me as I realized, with a pounding heart I was sure both carnivores could hear, that it could see me clearly.

Everything happened at once. Both dinos made their move, charging at each other with great speed. The Rex with its jaws wide open, charged at the finned dinosaur, whose name I could not remember, aiming for the throat. However the other one, dipped down low, with it's teeth aimed right at me.

The finned one had greater strength and was pushing the Rex backward, it's beady eyes still fixed on me a I threw myself forward, narrowly escaping death. The Rex plunged its jaws into the back of it's opponent, ripping off flesh with its teeth, spilling blood everywhere.

The bigger of the two, enraged, jumped on the Rex with it's jaws snapping. They were rolling right to where I lay, struggling to stand. Mustering as much strength as I could, I picked myself up and began to run, leaving the canister of gas behind, forgotten. Running as fast as I could, I avoided looking back. I could feel the ground rumble as both dinosaurs rolled over each other, jaws snapping, threatening to grind me flat under their weight.

The finned one finally pinned the Rex on its back and I was able to get a lead on them. Never once did I slow down, as I peeked over my shoulder to see the finned one and the Rex staring each other down, growling before they parted ways. Looks like those two have a rivalry of some sorts. I really hope I'm not caught in the middle of another one of those.

I kept running, and soon I was out of sight of the T-Rex and finned dinosaur. I could hear a river up ahead as I stopped to lean against a tree and catch my breath. My relief was short lived however.

The trees behind me began to tremble in the direction I had just come sprinting from. The familiar roar of a predator filled the air. That is, a predator with a giant fin on its back. Then it hit me why. I was still drenched in pungent pee. I still smell like T-Rex, and it was attracting the monstrous thing to me, like bees to honey.

I ran for the river, not waiting for my death to catch up with me. I jumped in the river which seemed to be about fifteen feet or so deep in the middle, and immediately began swimming for the reeds on the other side of the river. Making sure to dunk my head to get rid of all traces of T-Rex, I crossed through about thirty yards of water in record time, disappearing among the reeds, just as my stalker cleared the treeline. I sunk as low in the water between the trees as I could. Only my eyes and nose were above the water as I trained my eyes between the reeds on the dinosaur sniffing the surrounding area.

With a frustrated roar, it stomped away, probably to find another food source.

I sighed in relief after waiting a few minutes to make sure it really was gone. All I could think about was, where the hell were all the herbivores? It seemed like I had the misfortune of only coming across dinosaurs that wanted to eat me alive. I lay on my back floating in the water for a while, enjoying how the cool water on my body felt.

I don't know how long I lay like that. The next thing I knew, a hollow roar filled in the air and I sputtered out water as I panicked and slipped under the water unintentionally and moved back toward the reeds just as I caught sight of what had made the sound. A herd of stegosaurs were wading in the shallow water on my side of the river, a few hundred yards from where I floated in the reeds.

I watched with fascination. The older stegosaurs formed a loose circle in the water with the younger ones more protected in the middle. They seemed like a normal group of animals out for a drink of water and a swim, yet, were twenty five million years overdue for their reapening.

After I while I started to back away out of the water and into the woods, hoping not to be seen. The last thing I wanted was an angry mother defending her babies. Lucky for me, the stegosaurs seemed engrossed in their evening swim.

Once out of sight, I pulled the soaking map from my pocket Carefully unfolding the fragile, wet paper so as to not break it, I found the right direction and set off through the trees, trying to make up for lost time.

In an hour I came across a service road, just like the one on the map, with fading tire tracks on the dirt. Instead of walking out in the open, I walked closer to the side of the road, next to the trees. I was almost there.

After an hour of grueling walking, the sky began to turn orange as the end of the day drew near. I turned a bend in the road, and a group of buildings came into view. Among the largest of them, written in huge block letters, with the InGen logo to the side, said 'Communications.'

My spirits picked up and I broke out into a half run half jog. I made it. Alive.


	6. Hope is a Tragic Emotion

I slowed down, suddenly wary. With my luck, something monstrous would be waiting in the shadows ready to pounce. I surveyed the area carefully, not wanting to take any unnecessary chances. The sign that held the InGen logo was crumbling and covered in grime. The dusty roads were worn with long ago abandoned cars left in disrepair. I shuddered when I realized the stuff coating the broken windows was dried blood. I picked up my pace. The sun was beginning to set and I needed to find a safe place to wait the dark out.

An old wooden building with tile roofing stood forlorn to my right. I headed toward it, thinking it would be a lot safer to stay in the smallest of the buildings rather than risk running into something unexpected in the comm building. I pushed open the heavy door, as I took the flashlight out of my backpack.

The building was pretty small, and contained two rows of metal cages against the dark walls. All of the cages were empty. I sighed in relief. Shining my flashlight up towards the ceiling I saw a loft, not unlike the kinds found in barns. Hay and straw filled the top. A perfect resting place; high and out of immediate reach.

I turned around and placed a wooden bar across door, locking it from the inside. Hopefully nothing too big will be trying to get in.

I took a look at the ladder leading up to the loft. It was made out of wood and did not appear to be in mint condition. It was slightly damp like everything else around me. I grew worried that it might be too rotted and weak to support my weight, but I have to give it a shot.

I gripped the flashlight between my teeth, tasting metal as I put my entire weight on the first rung of the ladder. Nothing happened. I released my breath and took another step up. A third step up and the ladder began to creak. I froze.

Sighing, I realized the creaking was just due to the ladder being too old, not because it was going to collapse under me.

Once at the top I pulled the ladder all the way up, just in case. My flashlight now contained teeth marks on the textured metal. My jaw was aching as I lay back into the old hay and closed my eyes.

XXX

Rays of orange-yellow sunlight filtered in through the cracks in the ceiling and illuminated my face. I opened my eyes and just layed there for a while, comfortable in my position.

The light looked beautiful as it nudged its way into the barn. A serene sense of calm enveloped me. The sweet smell of hay filled my nostrils as I sat up and brushed straw off my clothes and hair.

My muscles were crying out from sleeping on such an uneven surface all night. Picking up my bag, I dropped the ladder over the side of the loft and climbed down.

I removed the block of wood that kept the door locked. I opened the door slowly as I quickly scanned the area looking for any signs of life. Bird were chirping in the morning air and their songs were filling the air. That's a good sign right? It's when everything is too quiet that you have to watch your back.

I slipped through the door and headed out toward the largest building. Everything was coated in morning dew, the grass, the windows of the cars, and even the air smelled slightly damp. Stopping at the base of the steps I gazed up at the building. This is my last hope.

No one is coming to get me if they think I'm dead. If this doesn't work I might as well walk around out in the open with a sign on my chest that reads 'fresh meat, come and get it.'

I really hope this works.

I took a deep breath and climbed up the stairs, careful to avoid the more deteriorated parts. The glass door opened with great ease, much to my surprise. I expected it to be rusted in place or locked.

Inside, I immediately came across a room with a great big metal desk in the center. Hurrying over to it, I climbed over the counter to get a better look at it. I could've just walked around it, but I was too excited to bother with the long way.

There was a very old fashioned computer sitting off to one side of the desk, however, when I pressed the power button, the screen remained blank. No surprise there. I didn't expect it to magically turn on, but I had to try. There was a jumble of papers on the desk, but they, along with the contents of all the drawers, were irrelevant and useless.

Growing frustrated I knocked everything off the counter. I watched a whirlwind of papers fly all over the place. Several off the papers flew towards a wall where their momentum as abruptly stopped as they came in contact with the graying wall. It was then that I glanced up and saw the sign.

My hopes picked up as I headed toward the radio room. Inside was every stranded survivors' dream. The room was filled with slightly more modern looking equipment than the rustic computer that sat on the desk out front. Radios and microphones filled the surface of a desk.

Racing towards that desk I looked for something that would turn the power on. As I pressed all the buttons labeled 'on' or 'power' that I could possibly find in the room, as well as flicking all the switches, I grew disappointed. By now I should have learned not to get too hopeful. I'll only end up getting crushed.

Suddenly a thought entered my head. A privately owned island like this, especially since the work being done here was intended to be a secret, must have had their own private power source. Somewhere around here, there must be a generator. And if I can find it and figure out how to manually turn it on, I could still have a one way ticket off this god forsaken island.

Following the signs in the hallway, I made my way down towards the basement. I held my guard up as I walked into darkness with only my tiny flashlight to keep me company. After promenading through a maze of metal instruments, whose properties I could only guess at, for a while, I came across what I was looking for.

I shined the light over the rows of generators, looking for something helpful. Finding the manual override switch, I used both hands to flip it. For a second nothing happened, then a slight hum began to fill the air.

"YES!"

I knew I wore the most ridiculous grin on my face, but I couldn't help it, the power was turning on.

The lights on the buttons of the generators began to flicker on and grow stronger. I watched with great anticipation, waiting for everything to turn completely on.

Then suddenly, without any warning, the humming stopped and I was cloaked in blinding darkness. I was too shell shocked to move for a while.

Growing frantic I began a frenzied search to figure out why the generators just shut down. My light fell on the canisters next to each individual generator. I unscrewed the top and lifted the opening, catching a faint scent of oil. I shook the canister, it was empty. I moved on to the next one, and then the next, until I checked them all more than once, hoping for just a little left at the bottom of one of them.

Distraught, I searched entire the basement looking for oil canisters to refill the generators. I thought back to the abandoned cars I saw outside. I quickly shoved that thought away. There is no way anything is left in those cars, they were too beat up to hold any gas or oil.

I let out a scream of frustration and slapped my fist against the wall. The flashlight in my hand broke with glass shattering. I was plunged into complete and utter darkness.

That was probably the stupidest thing I could have done at that point. With my back against the cool wall, I slid down until I sat down on the cold linoleum, trying hard, and not succeeding in the least, to level my head and not let my frustration overtake me. Exerting emotions like this clouded your judgment and made you easy prey.

There was no point in moping around and pitying myself. Rubbing my burning forehead with my sleeve, I waited until my eyesight adjusted to the dark and got up. Holding my hands out and using what limited vision I had, I managed to make it back up the stairs into the main building with minimal tripping.

Once bathed in light, I was able to see the bruises covering my hand around the knuckles. The pain was growing intense, but I no longer cared.

I slowly retraced my steps back to the front of the building, my feet were heavy and I felt mentally exhausted. Leaning against the desk I had jumped over earlier, I planned what I had to do next. The workers village is my next choice. But I don't know how good an idea that was. I've already been trapezing through the jungle like some lunatic and I've been just plain lucky not to wander through something dangerous like a t-Rex nest.

My eyes drifted around the room, up towards the ceiling, and then back down again, fixating on minor things like cracks in the wall or broken glass.

My eyes caught sight of a sleek moving shadow at the edge of my vision, through one of the windows on the side walls.

Disbelief filled me. Did I really just see a shadow or was my exhausted mind playing tricks on me. Because if I did see that, then I was in trouble, for the shadow resembled a velociraptor.


	7. No Way Out

I knew I wasn't becoming schizophrenic; I spotted the shadow again. And it looked like there was more than one outside. I started to fidget as I racked my brain for a plan. I'd long ago dropped my taser and a small pocket knife is no match for one, let alone multiple, raptors.

I could exit out from behind the building by climbing out a window using the smoke canisters for cover. I moved as quietly as I could toward the back of the building. It was going to be quite a jump, judging from the number of stairs I had walked up earlier.

Finding a suitable window was easy, since all the glass had long ago been broken away. Getting out was the hard part. Removing two of the canisters from my bag, I stuffed one into each pocket on my shorts, hoping they won't fall out.

Stepping out onto the window sill I caught sight of a pipe. In the movies everyone escaped by climbing down the pipe. But in real life is that really possible? A crash coming from somewhere in the building decided for me. I grabbed onto the pipe, trying not to think about it breaking and ending up with a broken back.

With a deep breath I began to lower myself downwards, slowly but with a sense of urgency. Just lower one foot, then an arm and get a grip on the metal. And repeat with the other foot. Thinking it like it was a process made it easier. Once I was close enough to the ground I jumped off and landed a little wobbly on my feet.

I turned and ran for cover among the trees. Throwing a quick glance over my shoulder, I caught sight of a raptor emerging from the window. It let out a ferocious roar as it leaped out from the window effortlessly, followed by another two raptors.

Fresh fear propelled me forward. Once I hit the trees I kept going knowing the raptors were gaining on me. One of them leaped, jaws wide open, nipping me in sole of my sneakers. Though it wasn't hard enough to hurt me, the momentum and fear of it being so close, hurled me toward the ground, promptly knocking the wind out of me.

I rose to my feet quickly to find all three raptors slowing circling me, occasionally growling and snapping their jaws at me. And when they didn't break formation to dismember me, I knew that they were well aware I had nowhere to run. Slowly reaching my hands into my pocket, I fingered one of the gas canisters, establishing a good grip on it before pulling it out quickly and yanking out the tab to release the gas. As the same moment, two of the raptors lunged for me as I threw myself to the side, as they knocked heads. Gas was pouring out from the first canister as I pulled the second one out.

The gas made everything hard to see as the raptors moaned and tried to get away. My eyes were stinging and a racking cough filled me. It was getting hard to breath as the smoke filled my lungs. Stumbling away from the smoke I used my sleeve to act as a filter. Once out of sight of the smoke and I could breath again, I broke out into a half run, half jog, wanting to put as much distance in between the raptors and me as possible.

XXX

An hour or so later, when I had slowed to a walk, I tripped out of exhaustion and clumsiness. Sprawling head over heels down a slanted surface I came to an abrupt stop, with a sharp pain in my side. I could feel that I fell on something sharp. Pushing myself up on my elbow, I picked up what I landed on, holding it up to the sunlight. It was a claw, not unlike the ones found on a velociraptor.

Glancing away from the raised claw and sunlight, I laid eyes on a nightmare come alive.

"No, it can't be!"

I stared in disbelief. I rummaged through my backpack, tossing objects out until I found what I was looking for. The map.

Fingering it to avoid error and using my compass, I groaned in irritation and let myself fall backward and stared at the leaves of the trees above me.

The workers village was all but gone. All that remained were destroyed and half rotting ruins. Damaged buildings littered the area, falling apart in the bright sunlight. There was no way anything over here was working. It looked like a T-Rex used it for a playground, and invited all it's friends to come and join in on the fun.

I ran my left hand through my hair and slowly got up, and dumped everything back into my backpack. I pocketed the raptor claw and started to make my way back to the truck.

XXX

When I woke up, back in cool metal of the supply truck, I sighed. I didn't know what I was expecting. That when I woke up, I'd find that everything that happened to me in the past few days was all a very realistic dream.

I'd rather have nightmares for the rest of my life, than spend another hour on this island alone, with only the stupid overgrown roots and compys to keep me company.


	8. Live and Learn

The next day I came up with a system. If I was going to be here awhile, I tried not to dwell on how long, I needed to find a way to keep myself safe.

I didn't know anything about these creatures, except what I read from books, like the one written by Dr. Alan Grant or Ian Malcolm. My best chance would be to learn as much as I can from a safe distance. Anything I learn can be useful.

I fingered the raptor claw I fell on earlier as my mind drifted back to the time I fell on into an enormous puddle of T-Rex urine. The compys had scattered away not because they saw the T-Rex long before it came into view, but because they could smell the T-Rex.

The smaller dinosaurs know enough not to pick a fight with a T-Rex or even to be around a T-Rex. If I could just fill one of the empty beakers with some of that stuff-without getting myself killed or maimed in the process-I could keep most of the dinosaurs away from me.

I remembered the dinosaur with the huge fin. It had been even bigger than the T-Rex and definitely wasn't scared of the T-Rex. It was attracted to its stench. I weighed out the pros and cons before deciding that keeping away most if the dinosaurs including the raptors was much better than having all the dinosaurs on my heels.

XXX

I watched the T-Rex doing its business from a distance using my binoculars. Cursing at it silently to just finish up and move, so I could get what I came for. My legs were starting to cramp from the uncomfortable position of crouching on a narrow tree branch.

The T-Rex was now rubbing against a tree, probably marking its territory or something. As if the giant puddle of pee wasn't enough of a hint.

Finally after what seemed like ages, the T-Rex began to move away, and I slid down the tree, eager to finally get my sample after days of patient waiting and following for this very moment.

It was too good to be true, instead of making a complete exit out of the area, the T-Rex walked back toward its puddle of bodily fluid and settled down in a heap-mere yards from the puddle.

Did it really want to hunker down for a nap right next to where it did its business? Did the stench not bother it? Probably not if it's doing that right now.

I sighed. All this waiting for another missed shot. I decided to wait, I'm not spending another day stalking a T-Rex. I waited in the bush for a while, waiting until the T-Rex started to do something that resembled snoring in the loosest form of the word, before emerging from the underbrush and slowly and cautiously making my way toward the puddle.

My eyes were glued to the T-Rex as I took long, silent steps toward the puddle. When I got there I crouched down slowly and uncorked the beaker, flinching slightly as the cork make that high pitched sound corks do when removed from a tightly sealed container.

My eyes shot to the T-Rex as it gave out a low roar and raised its head. I froze as its sleepy eyes searched the area before dropping back down. I forced myself to be still for a few more minutes before dipping the beaker into the puddle.

I got up slowly and waited until I walked a good enough distance away before firmly capping the beaker and sighing in relief.

XXX

The pushed some the large green leaves aside in the early morning light and shifted my weight so I had a better view as I watched the stegosaurs eat. Herbivores didn't prove as much as threat as carnivores since they won't eat me, but if they think I might harm one of their babies, I'll be trampled into dust.

Easing myself from tree to tree on the branches, careful only to put my weight on the larger branches, I moved silently away. I smiled at myself, I was getting good at this. It's only been a few weeks and I could move about much more stealthily than I could have when I first got here, trampling through the foliage like some type of maniac.

The days blended together. Every day was a rotating schedule. Watching the dinosaurs when I knew they didn't notice me was a serene experience. I had figured out that the larger dinosaurs tended to be toward the outer parts of the island and the smaller ones tended to be toward the center.

I had used up a lot of smoke canisters during what I estimated to be the first few weeks or so, due to my past inability to move without attracting every living thing within half a mile. I was down to my last few, but was confident that I wouldn't need them anymore.

I climbed down the trunk when I thought I was far away enough from the stegosaurs, and jumped down the last few feet. I adjusted the leaves draped over my upper body for camouflage and to also hide my scent as much as possible, though I knew it didn't help much. I walked to another one of my scouting points. Climbing up a tree, I made my way through the branches until I found my spot and sat down, leaning against the wide trunk and waited for the raptors to appear.

XXX

I jerked awake, nearly falling off the branch I was perched on. Steadying myself on the branch, I squinted in the bright sunlight. I must have been asleep for at least a few hours. The sun was directly overhead. I began to climb down the trunk of the tree, I probably missed the raptors. I didn't think too much of it. I could always come back tomorrow.

Right as my feet touched the ground I heard the familiar nasally growl of a raptor. Crouching down low, I thought about what to do. Against my better judgment I began to move toward the noise curious. Something felt off.

I snuck through the foliage until I could see the raptors. And they weren't alone. There was a man in a white and blue checkered shirt with a fedora on his head. The raptors were circling around him, snapping their jaws at the man, who, laden with a backpack and black camera bag, was trying not to freak.

Thinking quickly I pulled the smoke canisters out of my pockets and pulled the tabs, releasing the smoke and throwing it in the midst of the raptors. They were the last of the canisters, but if this mysterious man could help me get off this island, it would be completely worth it.

Once I threw the last one, I pulled a handkerchief I had found in one of the boxes in the truck up and around my mouth and nose. Running into the smoke I grabbed a hold of the man in the fedora and began to run in the direction of my truck, pulling him behind me.

After a while I released my hold on the man, but didn't slow down. Together we continued through the trees, as the man coughed heavily, right on my heels.

Once we got to the swampy area the truck was sitting on, I moved ahead faster, using the crates I had placed in the water weeks before as stepping stones, so I didn't have to worry about tracking murky water everywhere.

Pulling the hatch open, I held it open so the man could climb in as his body racked with coughs from breathing in the smoke. I climbed in after him and stuck my head out the opening, scanning the area for any traces of raptors that might have followed us. The man began to speak between coughs saying five chilling words that made me freeze.

"Thanks. Thanks a lot Eric."


	9. Epilogue

I yanked at the collar of my shirt, uncomfortable with the looks the two men in the suits were giving me. I could tell they were skeptical about what I had just said.

I glanced at the clock. It was two thirty three. I was here longer than I thought I would be.

"I'm telling you the truth."

"You very well may be, but we find it a little hard to believe that a thirteen year old kid survived on _that_ island all alone, in one piece, without any help."

I shrugged my shoulders at him. If he didn't want to believe me, then fine. I was just glad that I was home.

"I don't care if you believe me or not. I told you the whole story, from when I crashed onto the island all the way until Dr. Grant found me. If that's all you need, then can I please just leave."

The first guy glanced over his shoulder at the man in the darker suit behind him who nodded. He turned back to look at me.

"That's all we need to know..." I pushed my hands on the table and began to get up relieved that I could finally leave. "But we also need you to sign this confidentiality agreement." The man behind him handed him a manilla folder and a pen which was then placed in front of me. "You must agree to never speak of or even acknowledge what had happened on the island or even what you told us today."

I glanced at him for a moment before I picked up the pen and signed my name and initialled on next to all the dotted lines and X's."

'What's going to happen to the island? Are you going to torch it?"

The man walked over to the door and held it open for me.

"You don't need to worry about that anymore. We'll handle it." He gave me a half-smile that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.


End file.
